March is Women’s History Month, a good time to highlight the women shaping Orlando’s dining scene. Across the city, women chefs and restaurateurs are building restaurants that reflect the diversity of the community, from bakeries and brunch spots to Mexican, Thai, Indian, Brazilian, and Filipino kitchens.
Here are 15 Women-Owned or Women-Led Restaurants Worth Visiting in Orlando:
1. Se7enBites
617 N Primrose Dr, Orlando, FL 32803 | 407-203-0727
Chef Trina Gregory-Propst’s Se7enBites continues to draw crowds for its Southern-style breakfast, brunch, and lunch. The menu is built around scratch-made comfort food, from biscuits and gravy to stacked biscuit sandwiches like The Dirty Bird with fried chicken, bacon, egg, and country gravy; and the Moo Moo Buckaroo with country fried steak.
Other favorites include the Haystack Benedict, Bacon Belgian Waffle, and rotating desserts like bourbon praline pecan cheesecake and cinnamon roll bread pudding. The bakery is also known for its playful motto: “Come let us fill your piehole.”
2. Maxine’s On Shine
337 Shine Ave, Orlando, FL 32803 | 407-674-6841
Maxine’s On Shine, co-owned by Maxine and Kirtis Bishop, remains one of Orlando’s favorite neighborhood restaurants for dinner, brunch, and live music. The menu blends comfort dishes and seasonal specials, from penne pasta with chicken, mushrooms, and sherry cream sauce to rotating plates like ropa vieja with black beans, rice, and plantains or citrus-marinated chicken skewers with mango salsa.
The bar keeps things lively with house cocktails like The Metropolitan, Maxine’s twist on a cosmopolitan made with vodka, pomegranate, St. Germain, lime, and a lemon twist. Weekend brunch runs Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with live music returning regularly in the evenings.
3. Reyes Mezcaleria
821 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801 | 407-868-9007
Reyes Mezcaleria in Orlando’s North Quarter District highlights regional Mexican cuisine with a strong agave program and thoughtful cocktails. Executive Chef Wendy Lopez, a Michoacán native and James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef South, leads the kitchen with dishes built around traditional techniques and bold flavors…